The Road Trip
by YellyBelly
Summary: The two were practically smashed together, their legs touching. Seth was sweating bullets and every time she glanced at him, he thought that he was going to melt. Major SS, some RM.


Disclaimer: I don't own The O.C.—it all belongs to Josh Schwartz.

A/N: _Mads,_ thanks again for all of your help with this story. I don't know where I'd be without all of your assistance!

The smell of her hair was so intoxicating; Seth tried desperately to move away from her, because if they got any closer he wasn't sure if he could keep his emotions in check. Earlier that day, Ryan and Marissa had somehow convinced him to tag along on a trip to USC with them. Seth didn't exactly find going college hunting for the weekend to be the most riveting of plans, however he didn't have anything else to do, so naturally he agreed. The fact that Summer was coming along for the trip, had only slightly affected his choice of agreeing to this boring outing. Yeah right, who was he trying to kid? Summer was the main reason that he had let Marissa and Ryan persuade him. Ryan and Marissa were seated contently in the front seats, while Seth and Summer were forced to sit in the back of the car, squished together. The air-conditioning wasn't working, so the windows were rolled down all of the way, and they were surrounded by Summer's luggage. The two were practically smashed together, their legs touching. Seth was sweating bullets and every time she glanced at him, he thought that he was going to melt.

"Oh My God, Coop. I'm like so sticky…Ew!" Summer complained leaning her head against the window.

Seth cautiously reached for his half empty water bottle and held it out to her. "Want something to drink?" he asked shyly.

"You already drank out of it…" she replied, clearly disgusted by the gesture. "Okay, could you like move your leg? If you get any closer you'll be sitting on my lap!"

"Sorry," Seth mumbled, as he attempted to scoot farther away. Although, it proved fruitless, because to the left of him lay Summer's suitcases piled up on top of each other, threatening to fall on him at any given moment, and to the right of him was Summer herself.

Marissa rolled her eyes. "Would you two stop complaining?"

"Yeah, we'll be there in an hour tops," Ryan piped in.

"Remind me again why I agreed to come on this fabulous excursion?" Summer drawled sarcastically.

"Because your dad's away in Europe for a month, and when I came over this morning your step-mom was zonked out on the couch," Marissa answered.

"Oh yes, that's right. The step-monster tried some new meds out last night. She hasn't woken up since…gee I hope she's not dead," Summer said, a hint of bitterness evident in her voice.

"Ryan, what the hell are you listening to man?" Seth burst out randomly.

"_Seth_! How many times do I have to tell you? Do not insult Journey," Ryan retorted in an aggravated voice.

"Well what type of music do you like, Cohen? Probably some weird Indie-Rock band," Summer questioned.

"What's wrong with Death Cab?" Seth exclaimed.

"It'd be faster to list everything that _isn't_ wrong with it. Besides, it's like one guitar and a whole lot of complaining!" She looked ahead at Ryan. "God Chino, could you go any slower?"

"I'm going as fast as I can without being pulled over, and I swear if either of you say another word, you'll be hitchhiking," Ryan threatened.

Marissa laughed, reaching for Ryan's free hand. "Some peace and quiet would be lovely. In fact, I'm starting to wish that just you and I went on this little trip. It definitely would have been more enjoyable!" She turned around and shot Seth and Summer a slight glare.

"Ryan, man?" came Seth's voice.

"Yeah dude, what is it?" he asked tiredly, expecting another grumble from his pseudo brother.

"Please tell me that you have a good explanation as to why we just passed a 'Welcome to Nevada' sign?" Seth asked, slightly nervous.

"What are you talking about? I took a turn onto the Balboa Highway, and the map says the campus is only twenty miles away," Ryan insisted.

"I never thought I'd say this but, Cohen's right. We're practically in Reno. How could you make such a huge mistake?" Summer whined.

"Maybe, if I hadn't been distracted the entire ride then I'd have been able to concentrate and get there in record time!" he exploded.

"Hey man, you're the chauffer, you made the wrong turn, don't take it out on us," Seth said, holding his hands up in the air, in innocence.

"It's going to get dark soon, what do you want to do? Turn around?" Marissa inquired.

"We don't really have any other choice," Ryan was about to make a U-Turn when Seth thought of a brilliant idea.

"It's going to take hours to get home. Why don't we just spend the night here?" Seth concocted a plan.

"Ew, spend the night in Reno? Hey…that rhymes with Chino!" Summer remarked.

"That's actually not such a bad idea. Besides, Ry you look exhausted," observed Marissa.

"Where are we going to find any decent hotels around here?" Summer objected immediately.

"Hotels? Try motels, dear," Seth said haughtily.

"Oh my God, I am so not going to sleep in a motel. It's like, the equivalent to spending the night in a dump!"

Marissa rolled her eyes for the second time that night. "Sum, don't you think you might be over exaggerating, just a bit?"

Suddenly Seth pointed his finger in front of Ryan's face. The car swerved and Marissa swatted Seth's finger away.

"There's a 'Motel 6' a few miles ahead!" Seth shouted, waving his finger wildly.

"They're not blind, Cohen. They can see it," Summer mumbled, her hands folded across her chest.

"Man, move your hands. I'm trying to drive," Ryan grumbled.

"Just trying to be helpful, sorry," Seth settled back into his seat, and noticed Summer staring at him oddly. He smiled.

"What are you so happy about?" she asked.

He continued to smile at her, taking in her striking features. She looked so beautiful with her raven hair, her luscious lips which were covered in pink gloss.

"Would you wipe that stupid grin off your face?"

Seth smirked, and she smacked his shoulder. He yelped and hunched over.

"What are you two doing back there?" Marissa turned around.

"Ouch! Ow, ow, ow, it really hurts!" he cried.

"Damn, what did you do to him?" Ryan asked, his eyes on the road.

"She hit me," he whined in a singsong voice.

"Very mature _Seth_," Summer shot back.

"It's nice to know, that you know my real name."

"Whatev, Stanley," she teased him.

"-Er, Sum. Use complete sentences sweetie," Seth retorted.

"Don't call me that!" she screeched.

"Would you two just shut up?" Ryan finally lost his cool. "I am trying to drive and you are making it insanely difficult."

Marissa patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Want me to take over?"

He shook his head. "No, thanks, I might take you up on that offer tomorrow though."

He pulled into the sandy parking lot of the Motel 6, dust covering every inch of the Range Rover as he did so. As the car came to a halt, Summer opened the door and stepped out of it immediately. Seth attempted to follow after her, when her many suitcases fell on top of him, pining him to the seat.

"Jesus, Moses Summer! What are you trying to do, kill me?"

She laughed at the sight of him struggling to get free. Ryan and Marissa ignored his cries for help and got out of the car as well.

"We'll go inside and see if they have any rooms available. You keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't get into any trouble," Ryan advised, grabbing hold of Marissa's hand as they walked off to the main office.

"Why do _I_ have to be the one to baby-sit him?" she called after them, even though they were out of earshot. She turned her attention back to Seth, and realized that he was having a hard time. She opened the car door and threw a few of her suitcases in the trunk, setting him free.

"Summer, how nice of you to finally lend me a hand after trying to suffocate me with your luggage! I mean, how much clothing do you need, we're only going to be gone for two days!" he got out of the Rover, rubbing his sore shoulder.

"Well, you can never have too many shoes, plus I need to be able to accessorize, Cohen," she explained.

"Those suitcases are full of shoes? You have got to be kidding me?"

"I'm afraid not," she said. Then she noticed a purple bruise forming on his arm. "Ouch, did I do that?"

He nodded his head in confirmation. "Yes, you did. When my mom asks me what happened, I'm going to have to make up some story so that I won't have to tell her that I got beat up by a girl," he blushed.

"Sorry, I didn't think that I hit you _that_ hard," she apologized, tucking a strand of stray hair behind her ear.

A few minutes later Ryan and Marissa came back, carrying a key, two pillows and a pile of sheets.

"They only had one room left, so we took it," Ryan announced.

"How many beds?" Summer asked the dreaded question.

"One bed, and one pullout couch. Ryan and I already called dibs on the bed, so you two can have fun fighting over who gets the floor and who gets the couch. Although, judging by the bruise on Seth's arm, I already have a hunch," Marissa said, as Ryan opened the door to the room.

They all stared in shock and dismay at the room that they had paid for. A broken fan hung from the ceiling, a cracked lamp sat on an ancient nightstand, and the beds were atrocious. The pullout couch had a huge rip through it and the bed didn't look any better. Summer leaned into Marissa for support, hoping that she wouldn't have a heart attack.

"You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me!" Summer spaced out her words.

"Okay, I'd rather sleep in the Range Rover than in here," Seth cringed.

"Maybe we should head back?" Marissa wondered aloud.

"No way, you guys are just going to have to rough it," Ryan replied airily, sitting down on the lumpy bed. "I've slept in places ten times worse than this."

"That's nothing to brag about…" Summer said in disgust.

"Well, at least it's only for one night," Seth shrugged his shoulders, and then remembering his wound, winced in pain.

"I'm going to go get something to drink," Marissa said, throwing her purse over her shoulder.

"I'll come with you," Ryan stated protectively. "I don't want you out there by yourself, it's not safe."

"Aw, Chino look at you being all protective. It's so sweet, isn't it Cohen?"

Marissa kissed his cheek and out the door they went.

Seth looked at her expectantly, and clasped his hands together. "So…sleeping arrangements?"

"I suppose even _you_ deserve better than that floor. Why don't you and Ryan take the pullout and Coop and I will take the bed," Summer suggested.

"Um, let me think about that for a millisecond…hell no! I am not sharing a bed with Ryan…that's just _wrong_. Plus, just because you're irrevocably stronger than me, does not mean you get the good bed," Seth protested.

"It's that or the floor," she tapped her toe impatiently. "What'll it be Cohen?"

"Ryan and Marissa will want to be together no matter what you say. So it looks like the two of us are stuck with one another," he smirked, at her expression.

"Nope! Uh-uh, nooo way! I would rather curl up and die before sharing a bed with you," she insisted.

"Gee, you're so sentimental," he replied sarcastically.

Suddenly Summer grabbed a hold of his face and pulled him into a passionate kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pushing her up against him. They fell back onto the bed, causing the rusty old thing to creak. Ignoring the sound, Summer ran her hand through his curls, twirling his hair around her finger as he deepened the kiss. When they finally pulled away from each other, Summer's lips were swollen and her cheeks flushed. Seth's hair was a tangled mess, and he was panting.

He mustered the words, "Wh-what just happened?"

"I've wanted to do that all day," she whispered. Then she placed her finger over his lips and said equally as quietly, "Shh, no more talking."

An hour later Marissa and Ryan arrived back at the motel. It had taken them a while to find a soda machine and once they finally had, they sat down and talked for a while, not wanting to go back to the room where Seth and Summer would most definitely be shouting insults at each other. As they closed the motel door behind them, they were amazed to see Seth and Summer spooning on the bed. Summer's arms were wrapped around his neck and Seth's around her waist. Her head was resting underneath of his chin and they looked quite content, covered in blankets. The young couple stifled their giggles as they went over to the pullout couch and lied down.

"Took them long enough," Marissa observed.

"I'll say. God, the sexual tension between the two of them was making me entirely uncomfortable."

"Diddo," she replied.

"I guess we might as well try to get some sleep. We've got a long ride ahead of us tomorrow," Ryan noted, as Marissa snuggled up to him.

Little did they know just how chaotic the ride to the college campus would be…

A/N: Okay, so this is my very first attempt at an S/S fic, so please go easy on me. I know, parts of this definitely reflect on "The Escape", because I tried to incorporate that episode into this story. Please let me know if you think I should continue this or not. Maybe it should just be a one-shot? If I get enough reviews though, I will write a second chapter.


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